7.9.2.4.1. | Standards of Academic Conduct

  1. 5.1. Standards of Academic Conduct In order to ensure that the highest standards of academic conduct are promoted and supported at the University, students must adhere to generally accepted standards of academic honesty, including but not limited to refraining from cheating, plagiarizing, research misconduct misrepresenting one’s work, and/or inappropriately collaborating.

7.9.2.4.2. | Academic Misconduct

  1. 5.2. Academic Misconduct A student who engages in academic misconduct may be subject to academic sanctions including but not limited to a grade reduction, failing grade, probation, suspension or dismissal from the study program or the University. Sanctions may also include community service, a written reprimand, and/or a written statement of misconduct to be filed with Academic Registry.
    1. 5.2.1. Any person who observes or discovers academic misconduct by a student should file a written complaint with the faculty member responsible for the relevant academic activity within five (5) days of the date of discovery of the alleged violation.
    2. 5.2.2. A faculty member who discovers or receives a complaint of misconduct relating to an academic activity for which the faculty member is responsible will take action under this code and impose an appropriate sanction for the misconduct.
    3. 5.2.3. Upon receipt of a complaint or discovery of academic misconduct, the faculty member will make reasonable efforts to discuss the alleged academic misconduct with the accused student no later than five (5) business days after receipt of the complaint and give the student an opportunity to respond. Within five (5) business days thereafter, the faculty member will give the student written notice of the academic sanction, if any, to be taken and the student’s right to appeal the academic sanction to the Academic Adjudication Committee for the University. Such sanctions may include requiring the student to rewrite a paper(s) or retake an exam(s), a grade reduction, a failing grade for the exercise, or a failing grade for the course. In no event shall the academic sanction imposed by the faculty member be more severe than a failing grade for the course.
    4. 5.2.4. If the faculty member imposes the sanction of a failing grade for the course, the faculty member will, within five (5) business days of imposing the sanction, notify in writing, the Dean of the student’s home Faculty and the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, of the academic misconduct and the circumstances which the faculty member believes support the imposition of a failing course grade. If the sanction imposed by the faculty member is less than a failing grade for the course, the faculty member will report the misconduct to the Dean of the student’s home Faculty.
    5. 5.2.5. A student who believes that the academic sanction given by the faculty member is arbitrary or capricious should discuss the academic sanction with the faculty member and attempt to resolve the disagreement. If the student and faculty member are unable to resolve the disagreement, the student may appeal the academic sanction to the Academic Adjudication Committee for the University within ten (10) business days of receiving written notice of the academic sanction.
    6. 5.2.6. If a Head of Study Program, Dean, or the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs become aware of multiple acts of academic misconduct by a student, they may, within fourteen (14) business days after receiving notice of the last act of misconduct, prepare a complaint with recommendations for probation, suspension or dismissal from the University, and refer the matter to the Academic Adjudication Committee of the University and so notify the student in writing. All records of student academic misconduct are maintained by the Academic Registry.

7.9.2.3.3 | Proceedings Before the Academic...

  1. 5.3. Proceedings Before the Academic Adjudication Committee
    1. 5.3.1. Written Complaint and Recommendations or Appeal. The written complaint and recommendations or written appeal will be delivered to the Chair of the Committee, with a copy to the other party.
    2. 5.3.2. Response to Complaint and Recommendations or Appeal. The person responding to the complaint and recommendations or the appeal may deliver his/her response to the Chair of the Committee, with a copy to the other party, no later than five (5) business days after receipt of the complaint and recommendations.
    3. 5.3.3. Makeup of the Committee. As defined in Section 4.3.3, the Dean of each Faculty will appoint one member to serve on the Committee. The University Senate will appoint an additional faculty member. Faculty members will serve on the Committee for staggered two-year terms. The Dean of Student Success , in coordination with Student Government, will appoint one student who will serve a one-year term. The Chair of the Committee will be named by the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs. The Committee will establish internal procedures consistent with the Student Code.
    4. 5.3.4. Conflict of Interest. As defined in Section 4.3.4, upon the judgment of the VRAA or upon the written request of one of the parties or Committee members, the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs may excuse any member of the Committee if the VRAA determines that the member has a conflict of interest. The VRAA will select an appropriate replacement for the excused member (i.e. student or faculty member).
    5. 5.3.5. Scheduling Hearings Before the Committees. When a complaint and recommendations or an appeal, together with a response, are filed in a timely manner, the Committee Chair will schedule a hearing date if:
      1. 5.3.5.1. The documents raise material issues of disputed fact;
      2. 5.3.5.2. The Committee Chair determines that a hearing is necessary or otherwise desirable to aid in the resolution of the issues; or
      3. 5.3.5.3. The possible sanctions against the student may include dismissal from the University, dismissal from a Study Program, or suspension from the University for at least one semester. If the Committee Chair determines that no circumstances exist that require a hearing, as provided above, the Chair will notify the student and the faculty member (the parties) in writing of this determination and convene a closed meeting of the Committee to consider the documentation submitted by the parties. The Committee Chair will prepare a report of the Committee’s findings and present it to the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs within five (5) business days after the Committee meeting.
    6. 5.3.6. Notice of Hearings Before Committees. If the Committee chair determines that a hearing is required, the Chair will schedule a hearing date and notify the parties in writing of the date of the hearing, the names of the Committee members, and the procedures for the hearing at least seven (7) business days before the hearing.
    7. 5.3.7. Hearing Procedures. Hearings will be conducted according to the following procedures:
      1. 5.3.7.1. Hearing will be conducted within a reasonable time after the Committee’s receipt of the written appeal and written response to the appeal.
      2. 5.3.7.2. At least five (5) business days prior to the date of the hearing, the parties will make available to each other and to the Committee a list of documents to be offered at the hearing. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee may allow a party to submit additional documents at the hearing.
      3. 5.3.7.3. Hearings will be closed to the public.
      4. 5.3.7.4. All hearings, except Committee deliberations and voting, will be recorded and a copy made available to any party upon request. Committee deliberations and voting will take place in closed sessions.
      5. 5.3.7.5. The Committee must have a quorum present to hold a hearing. This must include at least one (1) student and one (1) faculty member from outside the relevant Faculty. If there is more than one hearing in a matter, or if the hearing continues over more than one session, the same members must be present for all sessions. All findings and recommendations of the Committee will require a majority of the Committee members present at the hearing.
      6. 5.3.7.6. At the hearing, the parties will have the right to present questions to witnesses through the Committee chair, to present evidence in their own behalf, in accordance with the Committee’s established internal procedures.
      7. 5.3.7.7. The Committee will not be bound by strict rules of legal evidence or procedure and may consider any evidence it deems relevant.
      8. 5.3.7.8. University legal counsel will serve as a resource to the Committee and may be present at the hearing to provide guidance on substantive law and procedural matters.
      9. 5.3.7.9. To overturn the original academic action, the Committee must find that the academic action was arbitrary or capricious.
      10. 5.3.7.10. The Committee will make its findings and recommendations based only on evidence and testimony presented by the parties at the hearing. Committee members will not conduct their own investigations, rely on prior knowledge of the facts or develop their own evidence.
      11. 5.3.7.11. If either party to the appeal fails to attend the hearing without good cause, the Committee may proceed with the hearing and take testimony and evidence and report its findings and recommendations to the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs based on such testimony and evidence.
      12. 5.3.7.12. The Committee chair will prepare a written report of the Committee’s findings and recommendations and present it to the VRAA within five (5) business days after the conclusion of the hearing.
    8. 5.3.8. Review and Decision by the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs
      1. 5.3.8.1. The Vice Rector of Academic Affairs will consider the documentation submitted to the Committee and the findings and recommendations of the Committee in making a decision. Based upon such review, and without conducting further hearings, the VRAA will, within five (5) business days, take one of the following actions:
        1. 5.3.8.1.1. Accept the Committee’s findings and recommendations.
        2. 5.3.8.1.2. Return the report to the Committee chair, requesting that the Committee reconvene to reconsider or clarify specific matters, materials, and issues. Clarifications will be presented in a second report and forwarded to the VRAA for further consideration; or
        3. 5.3.8.1.3. Reject all or parts of the Committee’s findings and recommendations, stating reasons and actions to be taken therefore.
      2. 5.3.8.2. Written notification of the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs’ decision will be communicated to the parties and to the Chair of the Academic Adjudication Committee within five (5) business days of the recommendation.
      3. 5.3.8.3. The Vice Rector of Academic Affairs’ decision is final.
    9. 5.3.9. Suspension or Dismissal from a Study Program or from the University The sanctions of suspension and dismissal for academic misconduct may be imposed: (1) if recommended by the Academic Adjudication Committee to the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, or (2) if deemed appropriate by the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs notwithstanding the recommendation from the Committee. A student who has been suspended or dismissed from the University will be denied all privileges accorded to a student.
      1. 5.3.9.1. Suspension from a Study Program or from the University.
        1. 5.3.9.1.1. Suspension will be for a minimum time of one semester following the semester the student is found responsible for academic misconduct.
        2. 5.3.9.1.2. The Vice Rector of Academic Affairs will notify the student in writing of the suspension, conditions for reinstatement, and the obligation of the student to petition for reinstatement.
        3. 5.3.9.1.3. Petitions for reinstatement will be submitted to the VRAA and will explain how the conditions for reinstatement have been met.
        4. 5.3.9.1.4. The Vice Rector of Academic Affairs may grant conditional reinstatement contingent upon the student meeting written requirements specified in the original sanction (e.g. minimum grade point average requirement, ineligibility to participate in specified student activities or on specified student committees).
        5. 5.3.9.1.5. The notice of the dates for which the student is suspended will be permanently recorded on his/her transcript.
      2. 5.3.9.2. Dismissal from a Study Program or from the University.
        1. 5.3.9.2.1. Dismissals from a Study Program or from the University are final. A student dismissed from a Study Program or from the University for academic misconduct may not petition for reinstatement.
        2. 5.3.9.2.2.Permanent records of dismissal will be kept in Academic Registry.
        3. 5.3.9.2.3. Dismissal should be reserved for only the most egregious of offenses or for repeated and persistent violations of less-egregious offenses.
      3. 5.3.9.3. Implementation of Sanction for Academic Misconduct At the conclusion of the appeals process, the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs will notify the Dean of the Faculty in which the student was enrolled to implement the final decision. The Dean will notify, in writing, the student’s Head of Study Program of the violation, the proceedings, and the final decision. If the sanction involves suspension or dismissal from a Study Program or from the University, the Head of Study Program will convey the decision to Academic Registry for notation on the transcript.
      4. 5.3.9.4. Reporting of Academic Misconduct No University employee will provide information to a person or entity concerning a student’s academic misconduct without fully complying with the University’s policy on Privacy. In some circumstances, however, such as requests from other institutions where the student seeks or intends to enroll, information may be provided without the consent of the student but only in accordance with the University Policy on Privacy.
    10. 5.3.10. Retention of Records of Proceedings Records of proceedings under the Student Code will be confidential to the extent permitted by law. Records of academic misconduct will be kept in Academic Registry and a copy may be retained in other academic departments as appropriate.
Volume VII: Student Handbook
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